by Alfonz Juck
Mutaz Essa Barshim, Doha DL Presser, May 27, 2021, photo by Diamond League AG
Sandi Morris, Doha 2021 Presser, photo by Diamond League AG
Rai Benjamin, Doha DL presser, May 27, 2021, photo by Diamond League AG
The Diamond League pressers for Doha happened today. Big fields at Doha tomorrow, and we will be covering it with photos and commentary!
The event by event comments below are courtesy of EME News.
Barshim and Samba for home interest
DOHA (QAT): Wanda Diamond League continues in 2021 with second meet in warm Doha on Friday. It will be held at Qatari Sports Club and several highlights are planned. Current World Lists 2021 are expected to be rewritten. In terms of meeting records, women´s steeple, triple jump and pole vault will be under threat. In case of Yulimar Rojas observers are talking about the World record. Several clashes of World medalists are also planned. And home heroes Barshim and Samba going for wins.
Short previews
Men
200m – The winner in Gateshead, Kenny Bednarek faces US teammate Justin Gatlin and reigning European champion Ramil Guliyev from Turkey.
400m – After impressive early season times in the 100m and 200m, Fred Kerley makes his season’s debut in the 400m against Mike Norman, Kirani James and Anthony Zambrano.
800m – A wide-open field includes Kenyans Wycliffe Kinyamal and Ferguson Cheruiyot Rotich along with the British pair of Jamie Webb and Daniel Rowden who both make their season’s debuts.
1500m – World champion Timothy Cheruiyot makes his season’s debut. He is the only sub-3:30 performer in the line-up based on lifetime bests.
3000 m steeplechase (non-DL) – Ugandan Albert Chemutai looks in this nearly only African race as the main favourite.
400m hurdles – Sub-47 second performers Abderrahman Samba and Rai Benjamin go head-to-head for the first time since 2019. Kyron McMaster and Alison Dos Santos are also in excellent early season form with season’s bests of 47.50 and 47.68 respectively.
High jump – Home favourite and world champion Mutaz Essa Barshim faces world leader Ilya Ivanyuk and European indoor champion Maksim Nedasekau, both of whom have cleared 2.37m this year.
Shot put – Tom Walsh is in action although Serbia’s Armin Sinancevic has the longest season’s best with 21.88m and in-shape also Ostrava winner Filip Mihaljevic.
Women
100m – With Elaine Thompson-Herah and Sha’Carri Richardson both late withdrawals, the line-up is headed by multiple global champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and recent sub-11 second performers Blessing Okagbare and Javianne Oliver.
800m – In-form Keely Hodgkinson takes on Olympic 1500m champion Faith Kipyegon from Kenya.
3000m – Is the path free for Hellen Obiri with the world 5000m record-holder Letesenbet Gidey a withdrawal?
3000m steeplechase – The line-up features all three medallists from the World Championships (Chepkoech, Coburn, Krause) along with 2015 world champion Hyvin Kiyeng and fellow sub-nine minute performer Norah Jeruto.
Pole vault – The field includes the three medallists from the World Championships (Sidorova, Morris, Stefanidi) along with Katie Nageotte who recently cleared a 4.93m world lead.
Triple jump – World record alert? Yulimar Rojas jumped an incredible 15.43m in Andujar last weekend.
Discus – The line-up is headed by the three medallists from the World Championships (Perez, Caballero, Perkovic) and 70 metre-plus thrower Valarie Allman.
